Mmm..aahhh~ It’s starting to smell like fall. No leaves changing color here in SoCal but definitely feeling the chilly mornings and nights and with Halloween around the corner, it’s definitely fall.

And what better way to start your morning than warm & hearty Irish steel-cut oatmeal? Psshaw! Who wants mushy, slimy, tasteless porridge for breakfast? Then you haven’t had Irish steel-cut oatmeal yet! Minimally processed with just the removal of the outer inedible husk and steel-cutting the oats into bigger pieces, not only is it WAAY more nutritious (than the rolled flat quick cook/instant ones) but it’s gluten-free, full of fiber amd best of all has a nutty, chewy taste that doesn’t even compare with the boxed kinds.

Ok – maybe you’re convinced but who’s got the time ? After all – it takes a good 25-30 min just to cook it.

Here’s a recipe that makes your oatmeal while you get your beauty sleep. Not kidding.

Slow-cooked Irish steel-cut oatmeal recipe

Serves two (your honey & you or just awesome you for two breakfasts)

1/3 cup Irish steel-cut oatmeal (buy organic bulk from your local Whole Foods or McCanns is nice too – and so many uses for the awesome tin)

1 2/3 cup filtered water

1 pinch kosher salt

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp dried raisins (I like white ones as it seems to have less sugar content)

Toppings:

Fruit (what’s in season? bananas, strawberries, peaches, whatever~)

1 tsp ground flax seeds/serving

Roasted slivered almonds

Maple syrup or Agave syrup

Make – 2 steps, really!

1. Purchase a small slow-cooker with warm setting option available (I got mine from Target for ~$8 bucks). It’s more than paid for itself.

2. Right before bedtime (usually ~10:30-11pm), pour oatmeal, water and pinch of salt. Turn on slow-cooker to WARM.

3. Sweet dreams~ go to sleep. This oatmeal is very low-maintenance with NO stirring needed. Have window of cooking time of~7-8 hrs. If it sticks a little around the sides, no problem. Let it soak and the crock pot is like brand new again.

4. Rise and Shine:)! Turn off slow cooker, add brown sugar and raisins, stir and leave it. The raisins will soak up some liquid and get all soft & plump, the brown sugar will meld nicely with the oatmeal.

Made with two tablespoons of love; love for food, love for life. Stay warm and cozy!

-ck

About chefkelly

Leveraging a lifelong passion for food and combining a unique cultural mesh of korean cuisine, robust flavors of Texas BBQ and California cuisine, Chef Kelly brings her own signature style to delectable perfect bites exploring complex and often surprising interplay of flavors, textures and colors. She has honed and shared her craft through her experiences from five star restaurant kitchens to private cooking instruction to her self-written food blog at chefkelly.com all made with 2 tablespoons of love; love for food, love for life.